Help to keep me honest

joeyjimbles · 8 July 2017 at 10:43AM

Hi
Well done on tackling your shopping spends. I would suggest that you could maybe shave more pounds off by using fewer branded items in your shopping.
This will also allow you to see how the discounters can help you more too as they don't carry many branded items - at least not in a format we are familiar with. This can be a bit trial and error as some things you will like and some you won't, and sometimes it's about overcoming one's own (or family's) reluctance - cereal for example, took ages to persuade children that rice snaps were precisely the same as the branded alternative but it worked in the end. At first shopping in the discounters used to be about 40% of my shopping but now I'd say it was 80-90% and I also use B&M and Home Bargains for some brands.

glass_half_full · 9 July 2017 at 8:33AM

joeyjimbles wrote: »

Hi
Well done on tackling your shopping spends. I would suggest that you could maybe shave more pounds off by using fewer branded items in your shopping.
This will also allow you to see how the discounters can help you more too as they don't carry many branded items - at least not in a format we are familiar with. This can be a bit trial and error as some things you will like and some you won't, and sometimes it's about overcoming one's own (or family's) reluctance - cereal for example, took ages to persuade children that rice snaps were precisely the same as the branded alternative but it worked in the end. At first shopping in the discounters used to be about 40% of my shopping but now I'd say it was 80-90% and I also use B&M and Home Bargains for some brands.

Hi joeyjimbles,
Thanks for your advice, really appreciated. :beer: I will give this a go. I have started substituting a bit already, but there is definitely more to go at here. As you say, some things are easier to substitute than others. I hadn't thought of B&M and Home Bargains, I will swing by and check them out.

glass_half_full · 9 July 2017 at 8:39AM

Good morning diary and all,
Lovely sunny day! Going out today to watch DS perform in a music festival, should be fun. A week today we go away on holiday for a week and then have a week on holiday at home, can't wait. The next shop I do is going to be at a discounter.

Spends from yesterday
Groceries £1.75 for something I had forgotten in the weekly shop
Goals for today
Nothing much, aiming to enjoy the music and sunshine!

glass_half_full · 10 July 2017 at 7:05AM

Good morning diary and all,
Last week before we go on holiday. I must admit to being in wind down mode, so hoping to get through the week without too many dramas at work.
I have been thinking over the weekend and I am going to raise my game a bit on the debt repayment. Inspired by others on here, instead of building up more savings, I am going to focus on the debt and target repaying by July 2018. A closer date feels more motivating, and also coincides with when my mortgage deal runs out. At that point, I want to shorten the mortgage term to 7-8 years, and so I need to get used to a higher mortgage payment.
Spends from yesterday - £10 at the music festival
Goals for today - Take in lunch, don't buy coffee!
Hope you all have a great day!

glass_half_full · 11 July 2017 at 7:02AM

Good morning diary and all,
A fairly routine day today, just need to get to work and keep my head down and get stuff done.
Spends from yesterday
* Groceries incidental £0.37
* Cleaner £25
Goals for today
* Make lunch, don't buy coffee
* Go for a lunchtime walk along the canal - free exercise!
Hope you all have a good day!

glass_half_full · 12 July 2017 at 7:13AM

Good morning diary and all,
I've made a payment into the debt from savings yesterday (£500). I've decided I want to get rid of the debt as a priority. I'm feeling impatient like I know others are on this forum. But I need to be patient for the long haul, its a marathon not a sprint. Still keeping the EF though just in case! Hoping to get paid at the end of the month for some freelance work, in which case I may be able to bring forward DFD. I have done the calculations, but won't tempt fate and update my signature until I have it confirmed in 2 weeks time.
On a course today so lunch will be provided.
Spends from yesterday
* Groceries £1.30 (need to get better at shopping to not forget the incidentals!)
Goals for today
* Aim for a NSD
Good luck all!

enthusiasticsaver · 12 July 2017 at 8:58AM

I think you are right to focus on debt repayment especially if you are paying interest. I stopped shopping at Sainsbury's a few years ago as it seemed very expensive. Even a shop at Waitrose using the essentials brand was cheaper. Now I shop mainly at lidls with the odd trip to Waitrose for lactose free bits for my granddaughter and husband and gluten free bits for my son in law.

I think I would be concerned that your son is not getting into the work ethic. Playing in music gigs, hanging out with his girlfriend and driving lessons all at your expense is not getting him to take responsibility for himself as an adult. Universities expect students to be self sufficient and motivated so do you think he is ready for that?

Both my daughters were working part time while at school and university and all through the holidays. Anything from cleaning, waitressing, shop work to office work. It helped them financially obviously but also made them realise how hard they had to work to earn say £10 and made them more careful with money. A great life lesson for young adults. I remember one of my daughters doing three jobs a day when on school holidays, cleaning in the morning, a shift at co op on the tills and then waitressing in the evening. She earned enough that summer to pay for her car and insurance (with our help).

glass_half_full · 12 July 2017 at 8:10PM

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

I think you are right to focus on debt repayment especially if you are paying interest. I stopped shopping at Sainsbury's a few years ago as it seemed very expensive. Even a shop at Waitrose using the essentials brand was cheaper. Now I shop mainly at lidls with the odd trip to Waitrose for lactose free bits for my granddaughter and husband and gluten free bits for my son in law.

I think I would be concerned that your son is not getting into the work ethic. Playing in music gigs, hanging out with his girlfriend and driving lessons all at your expense is not getting him to take responsibility for himself as an adult. Universities expect students to be self sufficient and motivated so do you think he is ready for that?

Both my daughters were working part time while at school and university and all through the holidays. Anything from cleaning, waitressing, shop work to office work. It helped them financially obviously but also made them realise how hard they had to work to earn say £10 and made them more careful with money. A great life lesson for young adults. I remember one of my daughters doing three jobs a day when on school holidays, cleaning in the morning, a shift at co op on the tills and then waitressing in the evening. She earned enough that summer to pay for her car and insurance (with our help).

Hi Enthusiasticsaver,
Thanks for the comments. You have identified a real issue we have. It’s hard to be objective about your own family that’s for sure. In terms of the work ethic, all is not lost. He does work really hard at his music and has recently stood in at relatively short notice at some high profile performances. He had to learn the music and rehearsed for several days before the event itself. I have been really proud of him at these moments. However, it’s true, it has been a real struggle getting him to do other work. We have probably been too soft on him. By a complete coincidence, he is off this evening with a friend who has come back from University and he is having an induction for some warehouse work. I wonder if the friend coming back from Uni has given him the confidence to go for this. In terms of University, I need to have a proper chat with him about taking it seriously and working hard when he gets there.

glass_half_full · 13 July 2017 at 7:17AM

Morning diary and all,
Last couple of days of work left before holiday. We realised this is our first time away together on holiday without DS since our honeymoon 21 years ago! I promised myself I would post every day in July, but may take a short break for a week!
Spends from yesterday
* It was a NSD
Goals for today
* Take lunch, aim for a NSD
* Take DS shopping for groceries during our week away

glass_half_full · 14 July 2017 at 7:22AM

Good morning diary and all,
Last day at work before the holiday :j
Went shopping with DS at Ald* yesterday to get him food and stuff while we are away. First time shopping there and were really impressed. Much cheaper than our usual shop I would say by 20-40%, hard to be precise but that would be my estimate. Grocery bill this month will be significantly down on the usual. Thanks to chandalier and enthusiasticsaver for prompting on this. I know I am in catch up mode on this one. Habits can be hard to break. OH and DS not getting on at the moment, they seem to have got into a bit of a negative cycle. I'm hoping some time out will help to iron this out!
Spends from yesterday
Groceries £44
Goals for today
Finish off at work
Start packing for holiday, make sure we have all the essentials ready
Have a great day all!

Help to keep me honest

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